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WELCOME TO HOMEBODIES
November 14, 2006
Volume 7, Issue 44
Weekly encouragement and empowerment e-zine
for stay-at-home parents and working parents
considering the at-home lifestyle
Your Hostess - Cheryl Gochnauer, author of
"Stay-at-Home Handbook", "So You Want to Be a
Stay-at-Home Mom", "Mom to Mom" and founder of
http://www.homebodies.org
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THIS WEEK'S ARTICLES:
"Not in My House You Don’t: Mom, the Ultimate Censor" a classic column by
Homebodies founder Cheryl Gochnauer
"Gift Buying Ideas to Keep You From Becoming a Basket Case" by Homebodies
columnists Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper, co-founders of Living on a Dime
(http://www.livingonadime.com)
"Getting Down to Business” by Homebodies columnist Cheryl Demas, founder of
Work-at-Home Moms (http://www.wahm.com)
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NOT IN MY HOUSE YOU DON'T -
MOM, THE ULTIMATE CENSOR
A Classic Homebodies Column
By Cheryl Gochnauer
homebodies@comcast.net
Copyright 2000
Flipping through the papers in my daughter's backpack, I noticed a book
crammed into one of her notebooks.
"What's that?" I asked.
"I don't know," she answered.
Now my daughter is a preteen, which means she knows absolutely everything.
My radar went up. Pulling the novel out of the folder, I flipped it over -
and my heart sank. It was one of those popular witchcraft/horror-based books
that are expressly forbidden in the Gochnauer household.
I didn't know whether to yell or cry. And my daughter didn't know whether to
look at the ceiling or the floor; she just knew she didn't want to look at
ME.
I decided not to yell or cry. Instead, I held the book and got very quiet
inside. It was another of those teachable moments. We'd talked about this
subject before, about how important it is to be selective about the
activities we watch, read about and participate in. But it had been a while.
In fact, as I thought about it, it had probably been over a year since we'd
covered this specific subject.
Not a long time to a 40-year-old mom, but an eternity to an
absorb-the-world, hormone-charged preteen.
I set the book on the table. "I'll return this to the school library for
you," I said, removing the temptation. "When you get home tonight, we'll
talk. I don't want to just say 'NO' without you understanding why. And I
want to get inside your mind a little bit, so you can share with me what it
is that makes this kind of book seem attractive to you."
My daughter nodded, and headed out the door. She's got a lot to think about
before our conversation tonight.
Censorship? Absolutely. If there's any place in this world where we should
applaud censorship, it's in the parenting arena. No matter what we do or
where we go, regardless of position or authority, we will never have a
better opportunity to shape another human being.
I'm not talking about churning out little robots that think just like us.
But I am talking about providing direction - helping our kids to focus on
those things that are noble, right, pure and admirable.
Our children are bombarded everyday with conflicting messages. If I don't
take responsibility for my girls in this area, who will? You can be sure
there will always be someone or something ready to step right up and do our
job for us, and we may not like the results.
It's crucial that our children are guided by someone who loves them. And I
do love my girls, more than life. If that means taking heat for being a mean
mommy sometimes, so be it.
*****
Have you read Cheryl’s books, “So You Want to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom”
(InterVarsity Press, 1999) and “Stay-at-Home Handbook” (InterVarsity Press,
2002)? Request a copy of each at your local library, favorite bookstore, or
online at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0830823360.
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GIFT IDEAS TO KEEP YOU
FROM BECOMING A BASKET CASE
Living on a Dime
By Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper
editor@livingonadime.com
Copyright 2006
Need gift ideas for Christmas but don’t want to spend a lot? Here are some
tips from Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam, authors of Dining On A Dime:
~Buy items in sets and divide them among the baskets. Buy a four pack of
nail polish for four ladies baskets or buy packs of whistles or other party
favors for the kids. Take individual popcorn, coffee or cocoa packets out of
their boxes. They will fill the baskets better.
~Shop garage sales and thrift stores for baskets and other containers.
~Dollar stores have lots of great inexpensive gift ideas. Browse!
~Use cellophane bags to package your mixes. They are inexpensive when
purchased at party stores or florists.
~A gift can be as simple as tea bags in a tea cup tied with a pretty ribbon.
A large soup mug and saucer with soup mix or a small glass bowl with some
potpourri might also make a simple but nice gift.
Try making these specialty gift baskets:
Football Fan (for teenage boys, brothers, fathers and brothers-in-law!) -
Fill a large bowl purchased at the dollar store with candy bars, bags of
microwave popcorn, sodas, chips, dips, a favorite football flag or hat, and
a calendar of game days.
Fisherman - In a tackle box or fish bowl, put hooks, bait, line, hot
chocolate or sodas, trail mix, gloves, fishing magazines and a fish pillow.
Dog - In a dog bowl, place a ball, old sock with a knot tied in it, dog
bones, rawhides, a leash, a name tag and a brush. You might include a
picture of a mailman with “the enemy” written on it.
Cat - In a cat litter box, place a catnip toy, cat food, a poop scoop, a
leash, a name tag and a little rubber mouse.
Car - In a large bucket, place fuzzy dice, air freshener, wax, car wash,
chamois (“Shammy”), tire cleaner, a car trash can, a key ring, ice melter
for cars and an ice scraper.
Baby Basket - Spraypaint a basket white and line it with a baby blanket or
use a diaper bag. Fill with bibs, baby oil, baby lotion, baby powder, diaper
ointment, a teething ring, burp cloths, wipes and a rattle.
Relaxing Basket - Line a basket with a hand towel. Add a lavender candle,
bath oil or bubble bath, bath salts, a favorite magazine or book, a poof and
scented soap, and a do not disturb sign. (Make one out of a piece of
cardboard.)
Coffee Lover - In a basket, include flavored coffee packets, cinnamon sticks
dipped in chocolate, wrapped in cellophane and tied with a ribbon, cookie
mix or cookies, flavored powdered creamer and a coffee cup.
Baker’s Delight - Line a large mixing bowl with a dish towel. Add cookie
mixes, hot chocolate mixes, brownie mix, muffin mix, a package of walnuts,
measuring cups and pot holders.
Ice Cream Lover - Place tissue paper on the bottom of a basket. Add sundae
dishes, an ice cream scoop, nuts, hot fudge sauce, butterscotch sauce,
chocolate syrup, Maraschino cherries and a gift certificate for two
half-gallons of ice cream.
Soup Basket - In a basket, stock pot or bean crock, add large soup mugs, 7
bean soup, cornbread mix, cookie mix and oyster crackers wrapped in
cellophane bags and tied with a ribbon.
Nail Polish Basket - In a pretty bucket or basket, add a variety of nail
polish, emery boards, nail clippers, polish remover, cotton balls, hand
cream, cuticle cream and a nail buffer.
Family Night - In a large bowl, add a puzzle or game, popcorn, candy bars,
soda, hot chocolate mix and mugs.
Fruit Basket - Line a basket with tissue paper. Add apples, oranges, hot
chocolate mix, various teas and dried fruits (like figs or raisins).
Sprinkle nuts on top of everything.
Cookie Delight - In a basket lined with tissue paper, add two cookie mixes
in cellophane bags or jars tied with ribbons, Russian Tea (also in a
cellophane bag or small jar tied with ribbon), cookie cutters, a teacup and
two pot holders.
Chocolate Lover - In a basket, add Hot Chocolate Mix, Brownie Mix, Chocolate
Peanut Butter Cookie Mix, Party Mints, Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix and a small
package of marshmallows.
HOT CHOCOLATE MIX
8 cups dry milk
4 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 3/4 cups cocoa
1 1/2 cup non-dairy creamer
1 sm. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
Sift the ingredients into a large bowl. Place the mix in an air-tight
container. Attach this to the jar:
Hot Chocolate
5 Tbsp. (1/3 cup) Hot Chocolate Mix
1 cup hot water (not boiling)
marshmallows or whipped cream
Place the Hot Chocolate Mix into a mug. Add boiling water. Stir until Hot
Chocolate mix is dissolved. Garnish as desired with marshmallows or whipped
cream. Serves 1.
APPLE CINNAMON MUFFIN MIX
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins and/or nuts
In a bowl, mix together first 5 ingredients. Place in an air tight
container. Package raisins and nuts separately.
Topping
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Mix topping ingredients in a bowl. Package in a small cellophane bag. Attach
this to the jar:
Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix
To prepare, preheat oven to 350.
Mix together:
Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix
raisins and/or nuts
1 cup apple juice
2 Tbsp. oil
1/2 cup applesauce
margarine, melted
Stir just until combined. Spoon into lightly greased muffin tins and bake
for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
While still warm, dip in melted margarine and then topping. Makes 12-15
muffins.
*****
Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper are the editors of LivivgOnADime.com. For more
free tips and recipes, visit their web site at
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/.
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GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS:
TAKE A BREAK
Work-at-Home Moms
By Cheryl Demas
cheryl@wahm.com
Copyright 2006
Do you find you're getting frustrated with your business, your husband, or
your kids? Is your family happy? Are you happy? Are you staying true to your
priorities? Are you taking care of yourself and your relationships?
If you find that you have nothing but questions and you're not finding any
answers, maybe it's time to take a break.
Sometimes the answers are right in front of us. We often discover them when
we take the time to be quiet and listen. When was the last time you just sat
quietly, with no distractions, no noise? We live in such a hectic world that
this isn't easy to do. Yet clearing our minds is sometimes the only way to
really hear the answers.
There's always something making noise in our house - TV, radio, even the
refrigerator motor. When the power went out for a short time the other day,
I was amazed at how quiet the house became. It was wonderful!
If you can manage it, take a longer break and really get away. Take a
vacation, even if it's just one night or the weekend, and clear your mind of
all business issues. Don't even think about your business, just get away. If
you take your business with you on vacation, you will be a work-on-the-road
mom (a WORM) and that doesn't sound good, does it?
Give it a try. Spend your quiet time praying or medicating, or get away and
clear your mind of the distractions of life. You may be surprised at what
you are then able to hear.
“A Gift from the Sea” by Anne Morrow Lindbergh is an excellent book to take
on vacation. Even though this book was written in 1955, it speaks to today's
mothers looking for balance in their lives.
You may find that the answers you have been searching for become obvious.
Perhaps you will decide that you are happiest being a part-time WAHM,
working at home one or two days each week, or not working at home at all.
And if the answer you come up with is that you need to slow down or change
your working situation, don't look at it as a failure. No business is worth
the sacrifice of your relationship with your family.
*****
Cheryl Demas publishes WAHM.com - The Online Magazine for Work At Home Moms.
This article was excerpted from Cheryl's book, “The Work-at-Home Mom's Guide
to Home Business.”
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PUBLICATION INFORMATION
Copyright 2006 Cheryl Gochnauer. All rights reserved. For permission to
reprint an article, please write homebodies@comcast.net.
All articles are printed with the author's prior consent. It is assumed that
any questions, tips or replies to questions may be reprinted. All letters
become the property of Cheryl Gochnauer.
Cheryl Gochnauer does not assume responsibility for advice given. All
advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and
applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe
and suitable for their own situation.
Homebodies is a free weekly e-mail newsletter.
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